Winter Storm: Live News and Updates
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Here’s the latest.
As a winter storm approaches, much of America is making frenzied preparations for a weekend of intense winter weather. Government officials are urging people to stay home in nearly half the nation. Airlines have canceled thousands of weekend flights.
The storm is forecast to plow east through the weekend, reaching New York, Washington, and other major East Coast cities by Sunday. The dangerous mix of ice, heavy snow, and extreme cold could halt transit, disrupt the national power grid, and leave millions of Americans stuck inside for days. The snow began in the Rockies and is moving eastward, with light snow falling from Texas to Tennessee in the early morning.
Caitlin Dirks, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, and her colleagues in Memphis were monitoring a forecast on Friday that placed her city at the dividing line between disruptive snow and what she described as "historic" amounts of ice.
"We are calling this winter storm historic because the sheer ice totals that we’re forecasting are — they will be crippling for infrastructure," Ms. Dirks said.
Here’s what we’re covering:
Salt shortage: Cities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere are struggling to replenish their diminished supplies of rock salt, which could make roads even more hazardous. Pittsburgh’s mayor suggested that unusually high demand from Southern cities was partially to blame.
Varied forecast: The storm is expected to start with a mix of sleet, freezing rain, and snow blanketing Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on Saturday. Ice is predicted across much of the storm’s southern portion, with snow farther north. Extreme cold will continue into next week.
New York region: Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York said no corner of the state would be "immune from Mother Nature’s wrath." Early voting for Feb. 3 special elections in New York City will be suspended on Sunday.
Prep in the South: People in Southern states, more accustomed to hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, are racing to collect supplies for a rare winter weather threat.
Power concerns: Electricity providers along the storm’s path warned people to be prepared for long outages. In Texas, where power failed during a 2021 storm, state officials said they expected the grid to withstand the cold.
What to expect: Check our interactive weather trackers to see forecasts for freezing temperatures and snowfall in your area.
"This is a dangerous storm," Ken Graham, the National Weather Service director, said as the storm took shape on Friday. He added that the system would affect nearly 200 million people this weekend.
More than 9,000 flights have been canceled on Saturday and Sunday, according to Flight Aware, a flight-tracking website. The hardest-hit airports this weekend include Dallas Fort Worth International, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and Hartsfield Jackson International in Atlanta.
The number of cancellations could rise as the storm worsens. Many airlines, including American, Delta, United, JetBlue, and Southwest, have waived cancellation and change fees for customers at dozens of airports around the country.
It’s not just the amount of snowfall that could make this weekend’s storm challenging, but also the rate, according to officials in Pennsylvania, who are expecting one to two inches per hour at times.
"This isn’t going to be blizzard-like conditions," said Mark Compton, the chief executive of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. "This is going to be blizzard conditions."
When trying to figure out how much snow a single location will receive, it is best to look at the "most likely scenario" shown on our maps. But don’t neglect the "high end" and "low end" outliers; those are your guardrails. They are far less likely to occur, but they still have a chance and represent your overall maximum and minimum possibilities.
Amy Graff, a reporter on The Times’s weather team, provides additional insights.
Dangerous cold is expected across Canada as well.
A mass of Arctic air has shifted over Canada, expected to drape the country with bone-chillingly cold weather through the weekend. Frostbite can occur in minutes or less.
The most severe conditions are expected in southern Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba, where temperatures early Saturday and Sunday morning could drop as low as minus 49 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45 degrees Celsius) in some spots, and will feel even colder with winds. Afternoon highs are unlikely to surpass minus 13 Fahrenheit (minus 25 Celsius) in the coldest areas.
Areas including Regina and Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, the largest city in Manitoba, are under severe cold weather alerts through the weekend.
"If you are going outside, dress warmly and in layers, covering any exposed skin, even multiple layers on your face," Ms. Desjardins said.
In Toronto, the country’s biggest city, forecasts of snow squalls and extreme cold — with lows of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 Celsius) — canceled the Toronto Maple Leafs’ annual outdoor practice on Saturday and closed the city’s zoo on Monday in anticipation of severe weather.
The cold air is also funneling into other parts of Canada, including Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario, but the temperatures there won’t be as extreme as in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
The Arctic air over Canada has been spilling into the United States, helping to fuel a dangerous storm expected to deliver a mix of snow and ice from the southern Plains to the Northeast and temperatures as cold as minus 50 Fahrenheit with wind chill overnight in the Northern Plains and upper Midwest.
In Canada, a reprieve from the cold is expected early next week.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff contributed reporting.
A correction was made on Jan. 24, 2026, regarding the forecast for Saturday and Sunday in Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba.
Here’s how to prepare your home for a winter storm:
Stay warm even during a power outage. Managers of electric grids from the Midwest to the East Coast have issued warnings that many buildings could lose power. Unless you have a backup generator, a loss of power can mean a total loss of heat. To stay warm, the Environmental Protection Agency advises to keep extra blankets and coats on hand. If you have a backup heat source, such as a fireplace or wood stove, make sure you have the necessary matches and dry kindling. But do not use a generator inside the home; its exhaust is toxic. Do not run car engines with the garage door closed and never use a stove or oven to heat your house.
If your heat is still functional, take steps to keep it inside by sealing window and door frames with adhesive tape. Protect your pipes by keeping your thermostat set to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Before freezing weather hits, turn off water to outside spigots and drain all water from the line. For high-risk pipes, let your faucets drip; moving water reduces the risk of a burst.
Prepare backup lights. With the sun setting before 5 p.m. in some parts of the country, a power outage could spell long stretches of darkness. The National Weather Service recommends stocking up on flashlights and extra batteries. In a pinch, most smartphones now have flashlight settings, but it’s better to invest in one with longer battery life.
The CDC recommends using battery-powered lights instead of candles to prevent fire risks. If you do use a candle, place it in a safe holder away from anything that could catch fire, and never leave it unattended.
De-ice your path. Applying ice melt before snowfall can stop ice from forming in wet and freezing conditions. The type of ice melt to buy depends on your needs, as each comes with certain drawbacks.
Stock up on food, water, and other supplies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends keeping at least three days’ worth of food and water on hand for basic disaster preparation, as well as a first aid kit and necessary medications. For water, that means roughly one gallon per person per day. As for food, ideally, these should be nonperishable items that don’t require cooking.
Don’t forget your pets. Your pets need a supply of food and water for several days on hand. If possible, move them inside for the duration of the storm or, in the case of livestock, onto higher ground.
Clean up after the storm. When it’s safe to go outside, check the exterior of your house. Clear snow from gutter downspouts and address any clogged gutters or icicles. Seal any cracks in a building’s foundation. Finally, ensure that your dryer vent and the exhaust pipes for your furnace and water heater are clear of snow.
What does winter storm prep look like for you? We want to know: Are you checking on your neighbors? Making arrangements for school closures? Using Morton salt on your driveway? Moving potted plants inside? Share your photos, videos, and thoughts to help us tell the story of how the storm is affecting Americans all over.
